Health stakeholders in Murang’a have raised concern over the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the county, calling for concerted efforts to protect girls from early pregnancy.

Data compiled from health facilities shows that Murang’a recorded 3,019 teenage pregnancies in 2025, while another 1,481 cases were reported between January and June 2026.

The figures were presented during a stakeholders’ meeting on Triple Threat held at the County Commissioner’s office on Tuesday, where stakeholders warned that the situation was exposing girls to health, social and educational challenges.

The County Reproductive Health Coordinator Caroline Macharia said the data was particularly worrying because it included pregnancies among children as young as 10 to 14 years.

She said 29 pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14 were recorded in 2025, while Murang’a South, Kandara, Gatanga and Ithanga were among the areas reporting high numbers.

Murang’a South Sub County alone recorded about 600 cases in 2025, according to the health department.

“The teen pregnancies are increasing at a high rate, and it’s time for concerted efforts to curb the menace. Some of the young girls are facing severe complications during delivery,” Macharia said.
She observed that adolescent pregnancies presented additional health risks, particularly where expectant girls delayed or failed to attend antenatal care.

“Some of the cases we have been handling on teen pregnancies are so risky and can even lead to maternal deaths. The solution is to protect young girls from getting pregnant before they are ready,” she added.

National data also shows that adolescent pregnancy remains a significant public health concern in Kenya.

The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey found that 15 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 had ever been pregnant, although the proportions varied considerably between counties.
Macharia said the county needed to strengthen early identification of vulnerable girls, counselling, and access to appropriate reproductive health information and timely antenatal care for those who become pregnant.

She noted that pregnancy at a young age can disrupt education and expose girls to social and economic difficulties, while complications during pregnancy and childbirth can pose serious health risks.
The meeting also linked some teenage pregnancies to sexual and gender-based violence, particularly cases involving children.

A representative from the police service, Ms Mercy Mumo, said the number of teenage pregnancy-related cases reported at police stations was significantly lower than the number being recorded by health facilities.

She attributed the disparity partly to reluctance by victims and parents to report cases, urging families to report suspected offences promptly to enable investigations and prosecution.

Mumo said increased reporting would also help security agencies establish the extent of the problem and take action against those suspected of sexually exploiting children.

Deputy County Commissioner Dorcus Mwangi, who chaired the meeting, stated that children should be protected from situations that expose them to early pregnancy and called on parents to take greater responsibility for the upbringing and protection of their children.

She noted cases involving children should not be treated as family matters where criminal offences are suspected.

“Those responsible for these cases need also to be brought to book. Some of the cases are as a result of sexual and gender-based violence like defilement,” Mwangi said.

Under Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act, sexual penetration involving a child below 18 constitutes defilement, with penalties varying according to the child’s age.

The DCC said the presence of pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14 should therefore prompt closer scrutiny because such cases may indicate sexual offences against children.

Mwangi called on community leaders, religious organisations, schools and other stakeholders to intensify sensitisation programmes targeting both children and parents.

She said schools and churches should provide safe spaces where young people can receive age-appropriate guidance and where cases of abuse can be identified and referred to the relevant authorities.

The stakeholders further called for stronger collaboration between health facilities, schools, police, children’s protection agencies, parents and community organisations to ensure cases are identified early and girls receive medical and psychosocial support.

They also urged parents to maintain open communication with their children and to seek assistance from teachers, health workers, children’s officers and security agencies whenever they suspect that a child is at risk of abuse.

The stakeholders said preventing teenage pregnancies should go beyond addressing pregnancy itself, noting the need to tackle sexual violence, school dropout, lack of parental supervision and barriers that prevent adolescents from accessing appropriate health and counselling services.

by Bernard Munyao